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First megafossil evidence of Cyatheaceous tree fern from the Indian Cenozoic

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Abstract

A part of the compressed tree fern axis with leaf and adventitious root scars in unusual arrangement from Plio–Pleistocene sediments of Arunachal Pradesh, India is described as Cyathea siwalika sp. nov. This record suggests that Cyathea was an important component of tropical evergreen forest in the area during the Plio–Pleistocene and this group subsequently declined in importance within the local vegetation.

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Acknowledgements

Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi is acknowledged for financial assistance. Authors are thankful to Sri Bimalendu De, Ex Dy. D.G. and Sri Sambhu Chakrabarty, Sr. Geologist, Geological Survey of India, Operation Arunachal, Itanagar for the help and co-operation during collection of fossil specimens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata, 700 019, West Bengal, India

    Subir Bera, Mahasin Ali Khan & Aniruddha De

  2. Department of Botany, University of Kalayni, Nadia, 741 235, West Bengal, India

    Sudha Gupta

  3. Department of Botany, University of Burdwan, Burdwan, 713 104, West Bengal, India

    Radhanath Mukhopadhyay

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  1. Subir Bera
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Correspondence to Subir Bera.

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Bera, S., Gupta, S., Khan, M.A. et al. First megafossil evidence of Cyatheaceous tree fern from the Indian Cenozoic. J Earth Syst Sci 123, 1433–1438 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-014-0460-x

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